


The Dumbest Plan

by YeahWhoCares



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel Is Real, Episode AU: s15e18 Despair, Episode: s15e18 Despair, Episode: s15e18 Despair - Castiel's Confession Scene, Fix-It, M/M, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27441886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YeahWhoCares/pseuds/YeahWhoCares
Summary: The only plan Dean had been able to come up with was the dumbest, but he’d gone into bad situations with less so he took a chance.A fix-it fic for s15e18: Despair.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 22
Kudos: 120





	The Dumbest Plan

“Why does this sound like a goodbye?” Dean croaked, holding back tears. Trying not to scream, Dean couldn’t comprehend how it had come down to this again.

“Because it is” Cas whispered, tears in his eyes and a sad smile on his face. The smile of a man knowing he’d found his peace but could only keep it for a second. He found love, family, and belonging just knowing Dean Winchester, and giving it up was the hardest thing he’d had to do in his very long life.

Hearing Billie's knocks grow louder, he looked into Dean’s eyes, finding that bright soul he’d once used as a guiding light in Hell to find his Righteous Man, Castiel uttered the words he wanted to say for so long “I love you”.

Dean shook his head “don’t do this Cas” he pleaded, stepping forward to grab him by the shoulders he pulled Cas close to him and rested their foreheads together “please don’t do this”.

“I have to” Cas whispered, closing his eyes and basking in the closeness they shared in his last moments “it’s the only way to keep you safe, to keep Sam and Jack safe.”

Dean refused to believe that. He reached up to hold Castiel’s face “no, there has to be another way. You can’t tell me you love me then leave me” Dean said, tears finally falling down his face “please man, we can’t do this without you!” he sobbed.

Cas wiped the tears falling down Dean’s face “just remember I love  _ you,  _ Dean Winchester. Keep that thought with you through the rest of this fight, and know that I’ll always be with you here.” he fit his hand to the place he left his brand all those years ago “my Grace will always be a part of you, even when I’m gone. I know you still don’t feel worthy of it, but you’ve been working on that self-worth issue of yours for a few years now, so maybe one day you’ll find comfort in the fact that you have it.”

“Cas, I love you too” Dean whispered, hearing what he assumed to be the Empty breaking it’s way through to get Cas. He closed the remaining distance and kissed him. His best friend that he’d grown to love in ways he never thought possible was seconds away from death, and the only plan he’d been able to come up with was the dumbest, but he’d gone into bad situations with less so he took a chance. Pulling back from the kiss he stared into those ocean blue eyes that he adored and whispered “I love you”, placing his hand over Castiel’s that still sat on his arm “I won’t forget”.

Cas smiled “thank you, I love you”. He leaned in for one last kiss just as Billie broke through the door and the warding, and the Empty arrived in the room “goodbye, Dean.”

Just as Cas tightened his grip on Dean, ready to throw him out of the way, Dean tackled him to the floor. Cas didn’t have time to be surprised, or even comprehend what happened, because Dean started rolling them across the room. They stopped when they hit the wall, Cas laying on the floor, Dean perched above him. Dean shimmied up Castiel’s body so his chest was covering Castiel’s face, blocking him from seeing what was happening in the rest of the room.

Dean watched, protecting Cas, as Billie was engulfed by the black sludge of the Empty. Holding his breath he watched as the sludge started to come together and solidify in the form of Meg.

“Well, that was exciting wasn’t it? Now, since your pretty boy Angel there gave me what I wanted I’ll consider our deal complete and won’t take him from you, but first I’m setting some new ground rules so get up off the floor.”

Dean stood up slowly, and helped Cas up but made sure to keep Cas behind him “why would you do that?”

The Empty smiled “well, she sent your kid to blow me up and that hurt a lot, and it woke some of my sleepers up which annoyed me. She made my domain too loud, and that is not something easy to forgive. I’ve got her now, and since she’s an entity of power she’s in her own little cage that will keep her contained should she ever wake. I’m not one for emotions, but what he did was not something just anyone would do, well anyone except you Winchesters, and I can appreciate loyalty. So” it snapped it’s fingers “here are the new rules. You never try to access my domain again. You never tell anyone how to summon me or how to gain access to my domain. And, should you hear news of anyone trying to infiltrate my domain or try to get rid of me, you summon me and let me know. I think that’s a fairly easy set of rules to follow, don’t you?”

Dean was skeptical “that’s it? You don’t want anything else? No promises of being sent your way when we die or anything?”

The Empty scoffed “hell no! When any of you Winchester’s die I’ll make sure you get sent to Heaven and let the Angels deal with you.”

“You can do that?” Dean asked.

“Well, technically no, but I helped your brothers, you know the Archangel/Human team living in one vessel, out with something and they owed me one, so I told them to make sure all Winchesters go to Heaven when they die, and he agreed it would be easier to do that rather than put up with rescue attempts in the event one of you came my way, or went down to Hell. Whoever is appointed the new Death will also be bound by that agreement.”

Cas took a step forward, but Dean put his arm out to stop him going in front “what did you help Michael with?”

“Well” The Empty tilted it’s head “Heaven needed a few extra batteries and I had more than enough lying around. I woke and raised some Angel’s and sent them back to Heaven. Absolutely no clues which ones, for that list you’ll have to contact Michael yourselves.”

Dean turned to look at Cas “Michael is rebuilding Heaven?”

Cas nodded “I expected him to, your brother has been a good influence on him.”

“Well, I’d love to stay and chat but I’ve got sleeping to do.”

They both nodded, but it was Cas who spoke “I do apologise for everything that happened because I was awoken by Jack the first time.”

The Empty sighed “look, I know it wasn’t anyone's fault really. No one knew about me or my domain in order to protect the powers of the beings who come to me when they die, so I can’t really blame you for waking me up, but I can next time, so follow the rules and I’ll leave you all alone.”

“We will, thank you.”

“Yeah” Dean chimed in “thanks.”

“No problem boys, ta-ta.”

They both watched as The Empty turned to sludge and vanished through the wall.

Cas turned to Dean and just stared at him. He thought he’d be dead by now, that he’d never see his human ever again, and now he didn’t want to leave the dungeon, because leaving meant tucking this all away while they dealt with Chuck leaving Dean time to go into denial and make it awkward.

Dean noticed Cas staring and turned away from where the Empty disappeared “you haven’t stared at me like that for a few years, what’s up?”

“I’m wondering how long we can stay here before we have to go back out there into a world where there is no time to just sit and relax, to enjoy the words we shared. I’m-” Cas paused, taking a deep breath knowing these words could send Dean running, “I’m scared that we’ll be so busy dealing with Chuck, you’ll work yourself into denial about what was said and that you’ll run from me.”

Dean frowned and went to argue, but realised that a few short months ago he would do that, but “things have changed Cas. Sure a few months ago, maybe I would have ran, but I just spent a good ten minutes thinking you were going to  _ die  _ forever and that I’d never see you again. So, regardless of what happens when we go back upstairs, I’m not running and I’m not denying anything. We don’t know if tomorrow will happen, so I’d like to maybe enjoy us being, ya know us for however long we have left.”

Castiel’s smile grew as Dean spoke, and he remained quiet knowing that once he started, Dean would let it all out.

“Look, I know it’s been rough recently with everything that’s happened with Chuck and Jack, but I’m willing to try if you are? I’m really trying with everything. I’m trying to be more honest with you and Sam, and I really am working towards forgiving Jack. I love that kid like he’s my own, that has never changed, but just like when Sam went with Ruby, my ability to forgive and move past it will take time. I want us to work, me and you, but also our family. Team Free Will 2.0.”

“Dean” Cas sighed, once again reaching to grip where his brand sits “I never once questioned your love for Jack. If you didn’t love him you wouldn’t have let him stay after what happened with Mary. Jack knows too, that’s why he doesn’t bring it up, because Sam told him about what happened between you both to help him understand, and Jack loves you too.” Cas stopped to laugh, causing Dean to smile “During a case, someone asked him about his dad once and he said they’d have to be more specific because he has three.”

Dean beamed “I’m glad he knows, but maybe I should tell him myself.”

“So” Cas started, but was cut off by Dean’s phone ringing.

Dean smiled apologetically and held his phone up to show it was Sam phoning.

“Hey Sammy, you all good over there?”

Cas watched as Dean paled and shouted “What? Get back to the Bunker. Now!”

Dean hung up and squeezed his eyes shut. Cas felt dread run up his spine.

“What happened?” he demanded.

Dean sighed “they’re all gone. All the Apocalypse World survivors are gone, Donna too. Sam can’t get a hold of anyone else and he said the streets are empty. Cars and toys abandoned everywhere. Him and Jack are heading back now,” Dean ran his hand over his face “Cas, I think he just wiped humanity out and left us.”

Eyes widened in horror, Cas reached for Dean’s hand “this is it then, isn’t it? Chuck’s final act before The End, however it ends.”

Dean squeezed Castiel’s hand “seems like it, so before that happens” he pulled Cas close to him “I’m going to do this as often as I can” he whispered before kissing Cas.

Cas kissed back with everything he had, not knowing if they’d survive the day, but determined to love Dean as much as he could while he still had the chance.

Dean pulled back and lay his forehead against Castiel’s and stared into his eyes “remember way back during our first Apocalypse, the other Angel’s hated you being around me because they thought I was corrupting you?”

Cas nodded “yes, I think even back then when I didn’t understand you, or human emotions very well, I was already falling for you and they knew it.”

“If only they could see us now. I’m in love with an Angel, Heaven forbid.”

Cas laughed “if only Crowley could see us now, he’d make so many snarky comments.”

Dean laughed too “he’d have been so smug, because he told me years ago you were in love with me and I was just too self-deprecating to notice.”

“Chuck won’t be happy when he finds out, if he hasn’t already” Cas told Dean.

Dean was confused “why would he even care? No offense to you or me, but he doesn’t seem too interested in anyone’s love life.”

“He already feels like you corrupted Amara when you shared that bond, he didn’t write that. And I’m the Angel who came off the production line with a crack in my chassis, I couldn’t be conformed to his stories, and falling for you - in many ways - wasn’t part of his narrative.”

“Ah” Dean said, finally getting it “well, let’s go find a Hail Mary to kill God and save the world. Just another Tuesday, am I right?” he nudged Cas with his elbow.

Cas snorted “yes, but don’t say that to your brother, thanks to one of mine he still doesn’t like Tuesdays.”

Hand in hand, they left the dungeon and headed upstairs to wait for Sam and Jack.

Tomorrow might not come for the Winchesters, but they’d go down swinging as they always did, and hell mend anyone who gets in their way.

**Author's Note:**

> I did truly love the episode. I thought Castiel's speech was epic and beautiful, and I love emotional!dean moments because you really have to pay attention to his face to see what he is truly feeling, but obviously I had to write my own little fix it fic to make myself feel better because I don't think I've ever felt more emotions in one sitting, ever. Plus, some "fans" are being really disgusting about the whole scene, and about Jensen himself, so this was a little outlet for all that rage I was feeling.
> 
> I do you enjoyed this! Thanks for reading.
> 
> All mistakes are my own.


End file.
